The Alabama Hayloft Jamboree was another barn dance type show that entertained rural audiences across the United States. It was aired over WAPI out of Birmingham, Alabama, and featured Ralph Rogers as its emcee and local country music acts for the entertainment. One of these acts were Happy Wilson and the Golden River Boys, a group that was quite popular in the 1940s and 1950s in the Alabama areas. One of the members was Hardrock Gunter, who later found historical acclaim with his significant recordings in the country and rockabilly music genres.
The Alabama Hayloft Jamboree was on air as early as 1941 with such names as the Delmore Brothers and Fiddlin' Arthur Smith appearing regularly on the show and it was still on the air in late 1953, judging from an advertisement in the Birmingham News. It is not known when the show ended its run. In the 1950s, WAPI turned to a popular music programming, probably ending the show at that time. The station features a talk radio format today.
If someone out there knows more about the Alabama Hayloft Jamboree, fee
• Hillbilly-Music.com
• Andre Millard: "Magic City Nights: Birmingham's Rock'n'Roll Years" (2017), Wesleyan University Press, page 36
• The Decatur Daily, December 15, 1952
• The Birmingham News, November 14, 1953
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